Hi ! I am new to this site. I had a colostomy about a year ago,and I am still not use to using this bags. I have tried the once piece with velcro on the end and made a mess all over when emptying it. I am now trying the two piece were you just take the bag and throw it out , i think its gross to. And now I have the skin around the stoma irratated and gets red. the dr. gave me a prescription for a spray that helped , but can not use it long, cause it can wear my skin thin. so i now have a nystatin powder that helps. the drs. office said if i could leave the appliance off for awhile that might help. I did and it still comes back. i was on prednasone for awhile and funny how it cleared up. But i can not stay on that either. If anyone has suggestions on it. i would appreciate it. and also any suggestions on one piece or two piece , i could use some help thanks. The drs. are talking about removing my rectum, and maybe the rest of my colon, so that means i would have an illostomy. Im not sure about all of this, but i guess whatever has to be done has to be done. I hope im not being a pain its just that i have just found this site, so its nice to be able to talk to other people who understand. Thank you so much

Welcome to Healing Well! I had Crohn's, too, and have had an ileostomy for over 2 years.

So far, I've had good luck with a two piece system with the velcro closure. When I empty, I use my index and middle fingers to squeeze everything out. Then, I take two wads of toilet paper. I hold one in my right hand and lay the end of the bag on top of it and wipe it clean with the other wad. Then I put in some mouthwash or hydrogen peroxide in as a deodorizer and roll it back up.

When it comes to the skin around the stoma, it sounds like your doctor has precribed some good products. Have you ever tried Calmoseptine Ointment? It's good, too. They also have wafers for people with sensitive skin, so that might be worth looking into. Do you use Stomahesive paste to keep the stool from getting onto the skin? How about Dove soap for sensitive skin to clean the skin around the stoma? Those are just a few tips I've learned on here that have helped me.

With just a little trial and error, I'm sure you will find the right products that work for you. Please keep us posted on how you're doing.

Cecilia

Dx'd Crohn's in '99 at 28. Proctocolectomy and ileostomy in '06.Disease-free, medicine-free, and very thankful to be healthy again :)

Have you had a stoma nurse look at your stoma recently? Sometimes they change in shape and that could be causing your redness around the site. I nurse could also help with your skin if it is sensitive to the "regular" wafers. Good luck and let us know how it goes:)

I want to thank you for your help. I first used the dove soap. and used wipes for sensitive skin. And soon as I stop using the hollister, I notice the rash starting to clear up. It is not all the way clear but just about almost. Im seeing my Dr. on tuesday and my stoma nurse also, so I will see how they think its looking to. I received some samples of coloplast and convatec. I am using the coloplast right now.

Now I have another question. I really do not understand what the difference is between the one piece drainable verses the two piece drainable, don't they basically do the same thing. And i guess the closed pouches you would just dispose of them and put on a new one, you do not have to empty it? I really do not know whats better! thank you all for your support. I am so glad I found this site. I am reading so many postings. And it is a blessing to have all of you .

I use a two piece drainable, because the wafer always lasts longer than the pouch. I usually get 7-8 days wafer time and snap on a fresh pouch every 3-4 days. With an ileostomy, I empty several times a day, so I have to have a drainable pouch. Plus, when I put on a fresh wafer, it's easier to see what I'm doing if there isn't a pouch already attached to the wafer. Dx'd Crohn's in '99 at 28. Proctocolectomy and ileostomy in '06.Disease-free, medicine-free, and very thankful to be healthy again :)

I've had a colostomy for nearly 5 years - hated it!Now I own an ileostomy for nearly 4 years now. - Much better! But... I too have very sensitive skin. but using more powder, ointment, antiibiotics - is just more Chemicals! And it can backfire on you. (like using too much nasal spray)

All the products that we are obligated to use are ALL GARBAGE as far as I'm concerned. right now I use Convatec - Natura Flex flange 38MM with a white colored background. the natural white has no mixed chemicals, iodine, coloring or ink. For this reason I NO longer have skin irritation.

It's a two piece system - I feel safer with the ziplocking feature and I have worn a single flange as long as 3 weeks several times before changing it again. Money was tighter too, though. It's always better to change it every 3-5 days just the same. But I fine it breathes well and last longer than most.

What I don't like is toying and playing with velcro, twisting and turning, GIVE ME A BREAK! All I want is something comfortable - easy to unload, replace and get on with my life. All ostomy companies make their pouches with large over hangs that gets caught in your clothing a lot - especially Coloplast products. Too many bells and whistles for poop for me.

If I had the money right now I'd manufacture my own. I find the ostomy products manages us, instead of us, it!

about your skin irritation question.

I would check on the underside of your stoma with a mirror and make sure there's no clef or scar skin tissue below it. Like a nail over hang or something.

"You know?..... When you place your new flange on and you kinda lift up on it to snuggle it up closer to your stoma?" If you do this it's fine, however it really doesn't make any difference - So in your case, snug it over top. Perhaps you have a cliff hanger like I said earlier on the under belly of your stoma. Perhaps your getting your own acid fluids leaking under your flange causing your skin itchyness.

But really... Just try a new flange backing like I did. Perhaps this will work for you too.